Mr. Erratum

Chapter Eighty-Seven

(*Edited.)

Blue sighed, paused at the art room door. He felt frozen, despite every part of him telling him to go inside. He shook his head and felt determination swell up in him. He had already left it too long already. 

Blue let out a breath, and like he usually did, he entered the art classroom without knocking. He found Ink sitting in his large, wooden desk, with multiple sketchbook's and canvases surrounding him. The skeleton sat crouched in the chair, and unlike usual, wasn't even trying to pretend he was working.

Ink didn't bother to look up at Blue. In any other situation, Blue may have found amusement in his younger co-workers misery- but not this time. Ink had been in a mopey mood for ages, much to the confusion to everyone around him.

It didn't settle well with Blue. The last time Blue had seen Ink like this was-

(Don't think about that.)

Blue walked up to the desk, and aggressively slammed a plastic container onto the wooden surface. The action made Ink jump up, obviously startled. Ink glared at Blue, but the food tech teacher spoke up first, "Eat it- all of it" He ordered Ink, then sighed, adding, "I made that myself, It'd be rude to not eat it Ink" He said, softer.

Begrudgingly, Ink opened the container, and pathetically nibbled at the contents. Blue rolled his eyes, but said nothing- both of them knew they wouldn't be moving until Ink finished it. Finally, after a longer time than necessary needed to eat a salad, Ink finished, pushing the container towards Blue.

"There. You can leave" Ink muttered, looking away again. Blue crossed his arms, "...Ink" Was all he managed, his voice accidently slipping into a tone that, for all Blue tried to convince him otherwise, Ink considered as a tone of pity.

Ink's face got darker, "Go. Away. Blue." The skeleton hissed. Blue jumped slightly, surprised by the genuine hostility in his tone, feeling hurt. As if reading Blue's thoughts, Ink immediately curled back into himself, glowering at the table again. 

Silence rung through out the room. Blue sighed, "Ink. What's going on?" Blue began, hesitantly. Ink gave him a horrified look for bringing the subject up, before his face seemed to close up- and if it weren't for the eyes, Blue would have thought he was looking at Pigment. 

Ink shook his head slowly, "It's none of your business, Blue" He spoke, voice flat. Blue couldn't help but bristle, "None of by business, Ink? When have you ever-" Ink's shoulder's instantly tensed, and he interrupted Blue, "This is different!" Ink exclaimed.

His voice sounded... hurt. It reminded Blue of a Ink from a long time ago.

 Blue glared at Ink, making the younger skeleton shut up. Blue sighed again, "I've left you for a few weeks Ink, but you didn't come to me yourself" He said, "And we both remember what happened last time I left you alone" Blue reminded Ink, giving him a powerful stare.

At Ink's silence, Blue sighed. "Everyone's noticed Ink- you really think your friends wouldn't have noticed your mood?" Blue asked quietly. Ink huffed, "I'm not in a mood" he argued, his tone borderline mocking. 

Blue nodded in lieu of agreeing with him. "Bad choice of words. I'm sorry." Blue said easily. This was more than just a mood, if context clues were telling him anything.

"Just... leave, okay? I've just been thinking about something." Ink deflected, looking away from Blue. Blue sighed, "Ink" Was all he said, voice harsher, startling the skeleton. There wasn't any point in coddling Ink when he was like this, Blue knew. No matter how desperately he wanted too.

That was what he'd been trying to tell himself after all that he had learned over the years they'd know each other, anyway. It was much harder to do than to say, when all Blue saw when looking at Ink was a younger brother.